When and HOW to Break the Pacifier Habit

My son used his binky until he was 26 months. I was more concerned about finding a time when not too much was going on in his life so we could concentrate on the binky. So I waited until I was done with my pregnancy, and he was used to the new baby. Once all was settled, I worked on his binky.

He used it only for naptime and bedtime. So I started with naptime. I just didn't give it to him. It only took one weekend to get him over it. I've been sending him to daycare since he was 14 months and he never needed a binky for naptime there, so he should need one for naptime at home. After 2 weekends more of no binky at naptime, I started bedtime. Amazingly enough, it only took 2 nights. On the third night, he didn't ask for it at all. The first night took about 45 minutes to get him to go to sleep though. The second night took about 20 minutes (15 minutes is the norm, so that wasn't bad at all). About 4 or 5 nights after he did ask for one and I just told him that he didn't need one anymore and he just said "okay" and that was it.

Hi,
What a wonderful, conscientious parent you are. Most start to worry or think about this at age 2 or 3!

I recommend putting up all pacifiers during the day where she can't find them and start introducing other ways of self-soothing during rest times over time (2-3 months). Maybe rubbing her back, soothing bath, blankie, teddy bear, classical music, easy listening music. It is a good idea to start this process now, gently. Day time pacifier should be easy, because you can just redirect her attention when she requests it. Rest time pacifier use, will take some experimentation as to what could work best for Emily.
If you are worried about her dentition (teeth) and the possibility of creating teeth issues because of the pacifier, don't worry about it. You have time. I do recommend the pacifier usage being stopped before age 2 in order to prevent permanent overjet (buck-teeth).
Again, I would suggest no pacifiers in the day time because it can interfere with expressive language/verbal expression and sound experimentation and play.
Pam

I watch my God-daughter during the day who is 4. When she was 2, I suggested to mom that she was getting a little old for the binky. Mom wasnt sure what to do. Well it just had happened that one of the "binkys" had been sucked so much that it had worn and split at the tip. Lauren didnt want that binky anymore because she said it was broken. I decided to cut the tips of her other binkys I had to see what she would say about those. I would offer them each to her. She would say she didnt want them because they were broken. I let her look in the drawer where they were kept so she would know that that was all I had. She gave up asking.

Hi J.,
My son is 2! and he still uses the pacifier at night and during naps. I read once that they'll give it up eventually. My first daughter (now 6) -- I just told her when she was 2 that we lost it....and we had a bad week of naps, but then she got over it. My next daughter (now 4) never really wanted the pacifier. Sometimes my son (2) will sneak into his room and retrieve his "bibbi" -- he came up with that name from my 4 year old. A few times I put a little dish soap on it because he kept retrieving it from his bed. Then he didn't want it. But we just moved here a few months ago -- and our life is still all new...stress in the house. So I'm going to let it go for awhile and let him have it at night and naps.......and eventually do the soap thing when we are a little more settled. Also, I read that it doesn't effect the teeth unless you let it go much passed 2 years....I knew 5 & 8 year olds still using them -- and that is strange looking (to me).

My son is 18 month and he still using pacifier but he will leave it when is time for him. My older son never used it so is my first time with this but I'm not rushing it. Today's date moms wants to rush babies for everything and childrens learn and do things at their own paste. Me personally I will by the time that he is 2 1/2 but not now that he have only 4 teeth.Let her be a baby for a little bit longer and enjoy her been a baby.

We had a great success with our daughter! When she turned 1, we wanted her to break the habit. At the time, she started to enjoy throwing things in the trash. So we cut the tips off al the pacifiers, and each one she put in her mouth, she made a very funny face, and pulled it out to look at what was wrong.In between our giggles to her reaction, we said"oh no! your "noony" is broken! We have to throw it away!" Then we would let her throw it away. We then made sure every one of them was gone, so we wouldn't give in. When it came to bedtime, we were out and about and she fell asleep in the car-no problem. After that,she didn't even rememeber what it was!